Dark brown discharge instead of period and cramps

Vaginal discharge is normal, let’s be honest. It’s a normal part of being a female and having a healthy uterus and regular menstrual cycles. The tricky thing is figuring out what kind of discharge is normal, and what isn’t.

Sometimes, you may see brown spotting instead of period. There can be several reasons behind this, most of which are harmless.

What is Brown Discharge?
- Spotting Vs. Period
What Can be the Reasons for Brown Discharge?
- Early Pregnancy
- Sexually Transmitted Infections
- Birth Control Pills
- Lack of Ovulation
- Pelvic Inflammatory Disease
- Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)
- Endometriosis
- Perimenopause
- Cervical Cancer
How to Stop Brown Discharge?
- Don’t Clean the Vagina Too Much
- Avoid Using Scented Bath-items
- Take Good Hygiene Care
When You Should See a Doctor?

What is Brown Discharge?

Have you ever put a band-aid over a cut, and removed it the next day to see a dried, brown wound? That’s because the blood from the cut is exposed to oxygen. That’s why it turns from red to brown.

Menstrual blood can do the same thing. Brown period blood before or after a period is exactly like that.

Before your period, brown discharge can be due to just a small amount of bleeding and have a very light flow. It takes time for the blood to reach from the cervix to your panties, and by this time the blood looks brown due to oxidation.

After your period, brown discharge is in most cases simply blood that has taken a little longer to be expelled. So it’s nothing to worry about.

Spotting Vs. Period

You must understand the difference between spotting and period blood so that you can easily rule out the possibility of pregnancy or a period.

Characteristics	Spotting	Periods
Bleeding	Very light	Heavy in the start, medium in between
Color	Brown, White, Pinkish	Dark and bright red
Timing	Any time of the month	Every 21-28 days
Protection	Pantyliner	Pad, tampon, Menstrual cup
Other Symptoms	Usually none	Bloating, insomnia, mood swings

What Can be the Reasons for Brown Discharge?

Let’s explore further the reasons behind brown spotting instead of a period.

Early Pregnancy

Brown spotting instead of the period can mean one thing at the most: pregnancy. If you are not trying to conceive, then seeing period blood may feel reassuring, right? But that’s not always the case. It can also mean implantation bleeding.

When a fertilized egg is in the process of attaching to the uterine lining, sometimes it can cause light bleeding. It’s almost as if the embryo is trying to burrow into the uterus. So it’s normal to see some brown spotting.

Sexually Transmitted Infections

Sexually transmitted infections can also cause brown spotting instead of period e.g chlamydia and gonorrhea.

Other symptoms of STIs include vaginal discharge with an unpleasant odor, painful intercourse, a burning sensation while urinating, etc.

Birth Control Pills

Birth control pills and implants release the hormone progesterone in your body to prevent pregnancy. As your body adjusts to the new form of birth control, you might experience side effects such as irregular menstruation, spotting, and brown discharge.

Lack of Ovulation

Ovulation is the release of a mature egg into the fallopian tube. This event typically happens around day 14 of a 28-day menstrual cycle.

When ovulation occurs, your body starts producing more progesterone to prepare for a possible pregnancy. If that doesn’t happen, the hormone levels drop sharply, and periods happen.

If ovulation doesn’t occur due to any reason e.g weight, age, stress, you may see brown spotting instead of a period.

Health Tip: Seed cycling is well-known for its role towards ovulation regulation. Read yourself about seed cycling benefits.

Pelvic Inflammatory Disease

This is an infection of the cervix and uterus that causes brown discharge. It is due to an untreated SIT such as chlamydia, gonorrhea.

Other symptoms of PID include pain in the lower abdomen and pelvis, painful intercourse, fever, painful urination, and heavy discharge with a bad smell.

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)

PCOS imbalances the reproductive hormones in the body. A higher level of hormone androgen produces, which results in irregular/missed periods, or brown spotting after a missed period.

If you are worried about your weight due to PCOS, read about PCOS diet tips for weight loss.

Endometriosis

Endometriosis is a chronic condition that occurs when the tissue that is normally in your uterine lining starts growing in other areas, such as your ovaries, fallopian tubes, or bowels. Research shows that endometriosis affects 10% of women, resulting in pain and infertility.

Brown period blood or spotting can be seen in the case of endometriosis, which is related to their condition.

Perimenopause

This is the phase of life before acquiring menopause. The body starts adjusting to the transition. The estrogen level fluctuates, disrupting the menstrual cycle. These changes lead to brown spotting instead of period. The brown discharge can occur after a period as well.

Cervical Cancer

In extremely rare cases, the brown discharge could be a sign of cervical cancer. The other symptoms include painful intercourse, heavy, prolonged, and painful periods, bleeding between periods, unusual weight loss, or weakness.

How to Stop Brown Discharge?

You may be wondering how to stop the brown discharge, are there any tips you can follow? Well, yes.

If brown spotting instead of period is normal, you can do some lifestyle changes to see prevention:

Don’t Clean the Vagina Too Much

Don’t wash your vagina excessively, and never with soap. The vagina is designed to clean itself, and it expels the bacteria and germs on its own. It is okay to wash it with water. The soap inside your vagina can upset the natural balance of harmless bacteria and can result in bacterial vaginosis.

Avoid Using Scented Bath-items

Avoid using perfumed soaps, sprays, and wipes. These can affect your vagina’s pH level and lead to irritation, yeast infections, or bacterial vaginosis.

Take Good Hygiene Care

Urinate after intercourse, and clean yourself properly. Wear breathable cotton underwear and change it daily. Change out of wet or sweaty clothes as soon as possible. Moist environments are prime targets for bad bacteria.

When You Should See a Doctor?

If you have been under great stress, or are approaching menopause, a little brown spotting instead of a period is a normal thing. You may resume the regular flow of your cycle next month.

If you have conditions like PCOS, a thyroid problem, or STIs, you should immediately consult a well-known gynecologist. You should seek treatment if your spotting is accompanied by:

Fever or chills
Discharge with a bad odor
Painful intercourse
Signs of infection

Bottom Line!

Experiencing brown spotting instead of the period may be normal from time to time. Hormonal imbalance in the body happens due to several reasons, which leads to brown spotting after a missed period.

You should track your period, and record the number of days you see bleeding or spotting, the color of blood, and the pattern of flow. If you experience other symptoms that concern you, don’t hesitate to contact your doctor.

Omama Anwar

Omama Anwar is an aspiring psychologist who often pens down her thoughts to which people can feel related. Currently, she is associated with Healthwire.pk as a writer to spread healthcare awareness among the masses.

Why is my period only brown discharge?

Totally normal, and no reason to worry. Brown discharge during your period: again, this is usually very normal. Sometimes your uterus has more tissue to clear out than other months, and it can often look brown instead of red. Other times, you might just have a bit of dark brown discharge instead of a period.

Does dark brown discharge count as a period?

Menstruation. Brown spotting is often just sign of ovulation or your actual period starting. This is totally normal and nothing to be concerned about.

Should I take a pregnancy test if I have brown discharge?

Pregnancy But if you experience brown spotting or bleeding, recently had unprotected sex and your period is late by more than a few days, it's a good idea to take a pregnancy test.